New Delhi: Communist Party of India (CPI) leader Kanhaiya Kumar and Gujarat MLA Jignesh Mewani joined Congress in the presence of Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi on Tuesday. 

Ex- CPI leader Kanhaiya Kumar after joining Congress, said, "I am joining Congress because it's not just a party, it's an idea. It's country's oldest and most democratic party, and I am emphasising on 'democratic'...Not just me many think that country can't survive without Congress". 

"Congress party is like a big ship, if it's saved, I believe many people's aspirations, Mahatma Gandhi's oneness, Bhagat Singh's courage and BR Ambedkar's idea of equality will be protected too. This is why I have joined it..," he said. 

Kanhaiya Kumar had contested the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from Begusari and lost against Bharatiya Janata Party leader Giriraj Singh.  Singh won with a margin of 4,22,217 votes and a vote share of 56.48  per cent. Kumar secured 2,69,976 votes (22.03 per cent vote share) while Rashtriya Janata Dal’s Tanweer Hassan secured 1,98,233 votes (16.17 per cent), according to the Election Commission.

Jignesh Mevani is an independent Gujarat MLA and influential Dalit leader. He joined the Congress ahead of the next year’s Assembly elections in the BJP-ruled Gujarat. Mevani had won election from the Vadgam Assembly constituency in Banaskantha district in 2017 with the backing of Congress. 

"We look forward to working with these young leaders, Kumar & Mevani, to defeat the fascist forces ruling this country," says Congress General Secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal